All-embracing arts

Some of the UK’s most inspiring performers are taking part in a two-day disability arts showcase that kicks off in Leicester tomorrow.

Embrace Create Connect, 15-16 March, is a national conference for performers with a learning disability and for those who work with people who have a learning disability.

Movers Theatre Company (pictured here performing The Sorting Office, 2009) feature in the two day arts extravaganza

The event, which takes place at Embrace Arts, Leicester University’s arts centre aims to share learning and present the huge and rich range of learning disability arts work, connecting performers, producers and promoters.

A scoping document for the event, Written by Andy Reeves, artistic director of the Leicester-based Speakeasy Theatre Company (I featured the participatory arts company’s great work here) describes the East Midlands as “an interesting region in terms of performing arts and disability” because activity from the sector has learning disability, rather than physical disability, as its primary focus.

As Reeves acknowledges in his scoping report, while there is “a wealth of interesting learning disability practice happening nationally and regionally”, connecting up this kind of work “is much trickier”. Tomorrow’s unprecedented event will, buoyed by the strong vision of the companies and artists in the region, kickstart a learning disability performing arts network in the region.